I plan do do something to my library once I figure out what I want to do and what is involved. My biggest complaint is I need to adjust the volume of my ipod due to the different volume levels. I am also concidering boosting volumes. Normally the music can be louder except for the ones that are very loud. I usually play in random mode. I usually nearly jump out of my skin when some tunes play. I may have taken them off my ipod but I doubt it. I believe none of this effects the actual encoding only volume levels. I believe I first want to normalize the music then play with the gain. I might also be interested in doing a selective gain like the old fashion loudness booters on apms. That was before equalizers. That simple boost adds richness to the music or at least Rock and Roll. I know many of you normalise and I suspect also play with the gain. I am most interested in what not to do and suggestions on various apps that can do the job. I use Media Monkey and have audiograbber.
I try to keep everything in mp3 format so that is not an issue. I am very conservative with my music that has taken me years to acquire. I am still doing vinyl capture when I have time. The literature I have been reading is really on the extreme side of audio warns about upsetting the balance of the music if you normalize. Reducing your music and not reducing the noise increases the noise ratio. I realize the source but also have descided to become more cautious. I doubt that I could hear the difference but that has given me pause for thought. I have heard and read good things about MP3Gain. Obviously, you must like it enough to mention you use it. Do you like it enough to recommend it? The only serious listening I do is either by CD/DVD or ipod. All my burned CDs and DVDs are normalized. Only my ipod drives me up the wall. I have heard some normalization processes use only the tag info like itunes. Ipods will use that tag info. Too bad I hate that app. I discovered Foobar200 may use a compliant method but is more careful in the process as you would expect from any third party app. I may try that first. Any comments or words of wisdom?
Mp3Gain truely is the only way to go in my opinion. The first time you load your files into it, it will take a while. Because the first thing it does is analyze the entire file then it adjust the volume to your set point. Then once the file is analyzed, it won't have to do it again. You can increase or decrease & it will only be a matter of seconds to complete. It is completely non-destructive to the file.
